Anthony Gordon fumes at EA FC rating as Jude Bellingham watches
In a cramped England training room, Anthony Gordon stared at a laptop screen as the EA Sports FC 27 rating list flickered into view, his face tightening. Across the room, Jude Bellingham watched the numbers appear, his expression turning to outright disbelief. The moment captured the growing tension between the two England stars.
Form and club background
Gordon has been in scintillating form for the Three Lions during the extended international break, netting in four successive England matches. The 25‑year‑old also starred for Thomas Tuchel's Barcelona side as they launched their Nations League campaign. Barcelona secured his £69 million transfer from Newcastle United, where he struck 17 goals and added five assists in seven La Liga appearances. The piece was published under the Sport desk, credited to Jake Bayliss, Senior Sports Writer.
Reactions from the England trio
While with the England squad, Gordon was challenged to predict his colleagues' EA FC ratings across pace, defensive work and physicality. He topped the six‑man list for pace with a 91‑out‑of‑100 rating, but his defensive score of 50 left him astonished. The original ranking had placed him fourth, yet the defensive figure slipped him to fifth, just one point above Harry Kane and 17 points below Morgan Rogers. Viewers saw the rating chart and Images of the list spread across social media.
Gordon erupted on the England YouTube channel, exclaiming, “How can I be lower than that? Oh my god. The disrespect on that! Are we comparing my defending to Ez?” His outburst followed an earlier comment that Morgan Rogers “doesn’t defend.” Bellingham, meanwhile, was left speechless, his jaw dropping at the defensive rating. After the list was published, Gordon’s frustration grew, while the England squad debated the figures.
Harry Kane matches Shilton's record and scores twice for England
Harry Kane, the Chelsea star, replied, “Based on that, Ez would dribble past you.” Morgan Rogers hid his face in laughter as the statistics circulated, while Bellingham praised Gordon’s defensive work, saying the winger was “being a bit too modest.” The trio also lauded Gordon’s shooting prowess after he placed himself behind Kane, Rogers and Eberechi Eze in the ranking.
When the physicality figures were released, Gordon fell to the bottom of the six‑player list with a rating of 71. Bellingham added, “His defending should be higher than his physical,” underscoring the disparity between the winger’s pressing intensity and his measured physical score.
Former Newcastle manager Eddie Howe praised Gordon’s pressing intensity while he deputised as a striker last season. Gordon recalled Howe’s demand for concentration, telling The Overlap in 2024, “Every session, if you’re day‑dreaming for one second, he’s somehow managed to see it and he’s screaming your name.” He added that Howe’s culture was “much harder than what it was like when I first went to the England camp, but it’s got me to where I am now, which is a good thing.”
The episode highlights how virtual ratings can spark real‑world debate among elite players, with Bellingham’s stunned reaction underscoring the weight they now carry. As the Three Lions prepare for their Nations League clash with Czechia at Wembley on Tuesday, the controversy adds another layer to England’s midfield dynamics.